July 2014

The greater Lake Norman area is arguably the 'wealthiest' part of Charlotte.

It's home to dozens of multi-million dollar properties in addition to an almost endless number of waterfront homes, houses with pools, and beautiful vacation properties, too. There are five 'cities' to choose from in the lake area: Cornelius, Mooresville, Huntersville, Denver, and Davidson, all with their own personality. If you want to live a life of luxury in Charlotte, Lake Norman is the place to do it.

There are many gated communities surrounding the lake. Most offer amenities such as community pools, tennis courts, and even golf courses and some require separate membership. There's plenty of great shopping around Lake Norman including the ever-popular Birkdale

We asked our friend and trusted tax-expert George Watson, CPA to break down the tax implications of selling your home. We find that a lot of sellers don't realize the tax advantages that come with selling their primary residence, particularly if it's increased in value since they bought it! How often does the IRS try to give you a break!? (Answer: Pretty much never.)

If you're thinking about selling your home and you're not sure what that means for your tax return this year, read on:

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"Probably the last thing you think about when moving is the taxability of any gain on the sale of your personal residence. But, it is an issue worth considering. Section 121 of the Internal Revenue Code provides that the

How cool is our city?

Charlotte's got culture, great restaurants, nature, and some of the friendliest people on the planet. And there's always something new to explore! We've lived here for decades but we're constantly learning new things about The Queen City. Here are 18 fun, unusual facts about Charlotte you probably didn't know...

1. James K. Polk, the 11th President of the United States, was born just outside of Pineville and the cabin he grew up in still stands today. He was (at the time) the youngest President ever elected as was responsible for the American territorial expansion to the Pacific coast.

2. Did you know that the proper name for the intersection of Trade and Tryon is "Independence Square?"

Imagine this:

You're a home buyer. You've found the home you want to move into, are under contract to buy this home, and at the final walk through or even after closing, you discover that those cool surround sound speakers in your (new) living room are missing! Instead of the speakers you dreamed would make for some epic movie nights, you see this instead:

Wait! What?!

Your first instinct is probably that you've been wronged and that the sellers should have left the speakers because they were considered "built-in," right? Well, not exactly. This is certainly a gray area for many buyers because common sense tells us that speakers hanging from the wall are built-in fixtures. But, are they? Are they built-in according to the eyes of the law?

Why community gardens?

Well, in a town the size of Charlotte's there are plenty of reasons people are getting behind the community garden movement. There is, of course, the philanthropic slant to so many gardens that donate their produce to churches and food banks. There are gardens designed specifically to help educate the community (namely children) on the benefits of growing things, and gardens that exist for neighbors in the area who can't have their own due to space limitations, improper sunlight, or even HOA restrictions.

But above all else, community gardens are about community. Who would've thought?

By working together (or in some cases, side-by-side) within these gardening outposts, neighbors say they've made meaningful connections

What's an HOA?

HOA stands for Home Owners Association and essentially, an HOA is a legal entity formed by the builder/developer of a residential neighborhood or complex. The purpose of an HOA usually includes several duties such as maintaining common areas, raising money for development repairs, and generally creating and enforcing rules which must be followed by everyone who lives within the community.

Pretty simple, right?

HOAs are, at their core, designed to be good for a development. They're not meant to make a profit or to keep people from living the way they want, but they're also there to protect the investment and lifestyle of the other members of your community. Keep that in mind.

Click HERE to view some Homes for Sale on Lake Norman. Or if you prefer Lake Wylie, start HERE. And if you have a home to sell, you'll definitely want to download and read my ebook called "13 Things Every Seller Should Know"

Buying a home is one of the most exciting processes you'll ever go through.

It can be complicated, too, and overwhelming at times, but if you have the right buyer's agent you'll likely avoid many struggles individual buyers face. In today's day and age of DIY and Zillow and information-overload it's so easy to be tempted to do everything yourself. What good is a buyer's agent? I don't need one anyway!

Think again.

First and foremost, as a buyer, you won't be paying for a buyer's agent. In real estate transactions it's the seller who's responsible for the agent's fees, even in cases of For Sale By Owner (but it's always good to check.) Aside from the obvious - getting help from an agent without incurring cost! - there are dozens of other